Beck

As with all highly anticipated soundtracks, I wanted to wait until I actually saw the movie before passing final judgement, and I have to say I’m surprised at the assessment I’m about to make. The biggest revelation being that while Scott Pilgrim vs. The World is definitely a very music oriented film, its prime motif is video games. The editing, the music, the production design, the costume design, style, special effects, everything – are all geared to support this. I know, I know, everyone else knew that but me. And I did know it. But now I understand just how important it is for anyone taking a listen to the soundtrack to be aware of that.

Considering my mix this week was inspired by Josh Ritter’s “Another New World,” I suppose it’s only appropriate that I went on a bit of a journey to make it. At first I was thinking that I would stick to American poetry references that were vaguely about adventure and exploration – immediately settling on “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost. Just as quickly I decided that “Woods” by Bon Iver needed to be on it. Then, however, I found myself veering farther away from the poem, focusing more on the theme of discovery and the unknown. I tried to stick with songs tonally similar to the Bon Iver track, but it was hard to commit to one genre so thought I would at least strive for an “offbeat edge” for a common thread. And so, like any long journey (at least any journey of mine) I probably got lost a few times along the way, but I’m pretty please with where I found myself in the end.

I know, I know. This soundtrack was the talk of the town weeks ago. Florence! Muse! Vampire Weekend! It’s old news. We’re past it. Why review it now?

Well, it’s one thing to put together an awesome compilation, but it’s a much harder task to ensure so many stand out tracks fit in the fabric of the movie – a cheesy, tweeny blockbuster vampire movie, nonetheless. To be perfectly honest, I sometimes think that the great Alexandra Patsavas – while brilliant and talented and with a knack for finding great undiscovered tunes – sometimes takes me out of the story going “Oooh! Miike Snow!” for a 4 second use. At the very end of the first Twilight movie, when Linkin Park launched us into the end credits I think I may have groaned out loud.

That said, – Eclipse was a breath of fresh air. Patsavas nails it. The songs blend in when they’re supposed to, and enhance key moments that need some extra oomph. It’s still a cheesy, tweeny vampire movie (Taylor Lautner as Jacob says to Robert Pattinson’s Edward Cullen at one point: “I mean let’s face it, I am hotter than you” cue theatre bursting into applause), but this time the music is what gives it – at least some – street cred.

While the overall flow works, the soundtrack’s strengths are definitely those songs when the gritty and the sexy come together for that great hot, bayou feel. The kind that make you feel like you should be dancing in the moonlight on a sweaty summer night, perhaps some fireflies still hanging around…ok, I’ll stop now, you get my point. While a Lucinda Williams and Elvis Costello collaboration is cool and it is a good song – I just wanted to go back to the swamp.

Check out the tracklist below – my favorites are in red, naturally. And you can stream the whole thing here.

Recently green and yellow have both been in the forefront of my color preferences. I had a green iPod Nano, and now I have a green iPod shuffle. I am attracted to any yellow sundress like a magpie to shiny objects. I don’t understand why sick cartoons are always depicted as turning green. I’ve never seen one person turn green in my entire life, and it’s giving such a wonderful color a terrible connotation. Similarly I feel like yellow is also often considered a “sickly” color because of jaundice. When someone looks “jaundiced” they are faintly yellow. How sad for such bright, lovely colors. In light of such injustice, please enjoy a few tracks celebrating their awesomeness. Enjoy.

Bipolar Bear have a song called “Cape Verde” and will be at Spaceland on April 30. Listen to the song here, and get your tickets!

So Many Wizards finishes out their residency at the Silverlake Lounge this coming MONDAY, April 26. Perhaps they’ll play “Yellow Hands,” but if not you can check it out here. There’s no excuse not to go – it’s free!

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HELLO!

Amanda Krieg Thomas is a Music Supervisor in Los Angeles at leading music supervision company, Neophonic Music & Media.

Tadpole Audio is her personal blog of industry advice, news, and sometimes even music she likes (and thinks you might as well!) All opinions are her own. Her music supervision credits can be found here, and professional bio can be found here.

She also enjoys craft beer, entertaining friends, good coffee, living on the border of Silverlake and Echo Park, but being a Connecticut girl at heart, adventures large and small with her husband and two cats, roadtrips, spin, yoga, and brunch.